Thousands of Thai soldiers gathered near the Government House to face down supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on April 13, 2009. Photo: Nicolas Asfouri / AFP
75 percent of survey participants nationwide agree with the military declaring martial law, according to results released by Dusit Poll yesterday morning.
An announcement on military-run television said, martial law was invoked Tuesday “to restore peace and order for people from all sides.”
It turns out 75.95 percent of survey participants agree with the military, while 11.71 percent are not pleased because some might view the move as a coup. The remaining 12.34 percent are still undecided about the situation. The survey data is based on the opinions of 1,265 citizens.
And what do people think of the martial law? Half of the participants feel it will help ease political tensions and decrease the risk of confrontation between protesters. 25.78 percent say the soldiers make them feel safe. 11.49 percent worry that martial law may affect their day-to-day activities, while 4.66 percent think the law might anger political groups and urge violence.
But is martial law the solution to Thailand’s political conflict? 47.15 percent believe so because they trust the military and believe it will be able to control any situation. However, 17.41 feel the law will not help. The final 35.44 percent feel that everything remains to be seen, Sanook reported.
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